Scholarships That Reward Community Service

The college search can be stressful, and so can paying for college tuition. Students spend much of high school building a resume for their applications, but these activities can benefit them beyond just getting into their dream school. They can help pay for their education, too.

After working hard on grades and test scores, it’s important to think about the extracurriculars that have been a big part of high school. People are often familiar with athletics scholarships, but there are also many scholarships that reward community service. More and more, community service is becoming the desirable activity — schools and business both like to see their students and employees with a passion for helping society, giving back and having a broader worldview.

Community Scholarships

Sure, community scholarships may be based on hours served or what sort of leadership is held. But there are many other types to look at that base the award in different factors. For instance, Underground Elephant, a personal car insurance expert that helps customers find the best car insurance, offers a community service award. They offer a scholarship opportunity for high school seniors or current college students based on how they use safe driving to benefit themselves and their surroundings. The Underground Elephant Scholarship is just one unique opportunity for students.

When looking for community scholarships, make sure to keep the search broad. From local to national scholarships, many business and organizations award money for this type of service. Just as the Underground Elephant Scholarship has a unique take on scholarship, many others do, too. Though some are looking for someone who has started a community service organization or for a student who has held leadership in one, many others will go more on a philosophy of what the student has received from helping out. It doesn’t always matter what the hours add up to or if a position is held. This post in USNews shares more information on how there are many different scholarship opportunities in this category.

When Applying for Scholarships

During the scholarship application process there are some good guidelines to follow (some are similar to the college application process):

Read the question carefully and answer the prompt. For instance, the above opportunity asks about driving. Make sure to include a clear response in your essay.

Have someone proofread the essay. A few mistakes could make a difference in receiving the scholarship or not.

Look far and wide. Scholarships for community service and involvement are out there; it may just take a little work to find them.

Remember, community service is essential, whether for a scholarship or not. Keep up the excellent work; one person truly can make a difference.